Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Snowkr]

Hi all

My passport expires in Nov. I'm going home for 3 weeks this summer and coming back to finish my contract here (only 6 months remaining).

I doubt I'll be mailing off my passport with the DS-82 form until after I'm safely back in Korea after this little trip home.

I know I have to mail my current passport and application to Philadelphia regardless of what country I'm residing in but I'm just wondering about how long this whole process will take from Korea? When my first passport was issued, I was in the states and it seemed to take a bit of time... maybe because it was the first issuance...

Any U.S. citizens who have applied for and received new passports while living here in Korea, please respond here! I'd kind of like to know what kind of waiting time I'll be facing. It freaks me out a bit to think of mailing my current passport out of the country, even though I'm sure there's really nothing to worry about!

Any experiences or feedback here would be appreciated!

[CentralCali]

Somebody gave you bum information. The information page for the US Embassy on renewing your passport in Korea simply has you sending the application to the Citizen Services section of the Embassy. I submitted by application in person and had them send the new passport to me via courier. Total time at the embassy was about 45 minutes and the new passport was delivered to me within two weeks.

[billietea]

It was easy, I had my passport pictures taken and sent them with my passport via courier to Seoul...received the passport back in two weeks from the courier service (prepaid). This was 6 months ago. No problem.

[Snowkr]

Thanks, CC and billietea.

I got my info from the website since ACS is always so busy they have to transfer us to an automated system that rarely allows the opportunity to select an actual human.

In any case, I'm in Seoul often enough that I can easily get to the embassy to apply and pay in person. 2 weeks is not a long time to wait.

Just one more question... or rather two...
Do they require an appointment to do this (seems really absurd if they do) and which subway line are they on?

I think someone told me it's near Gwanghwamun (spelling?)

[OiGirl]

No appointment needed.

I use that subway stop.

[saw6436]

I got my new passport from the US Embassy in Seoul in 6 working days. Very fast and they were very helpful.